Flat panel LCD computer monitors are well known in the art. Unfortunately, flat panel LCD computer monitors have a fixed amount of real estate for users to work within (i.e. 1024×768 pixels). Although available in different sizes and aspect ratios, these monitors are also restricted to rectangular geometry. The inflexible characteristics of geometry and real estate often limit the ease of use and broad application of display technology. Over the years, computers have become faster and contain more robust operating systems, applications, memory, and hardware. Regrettably, the screen geometry and real estate have not advanced accordingly.
LCD screen technology has advanced to the point where fiber optics can be used to display images up to the edge of the display monitor, such that the protective casing is not visible from the front of the display monitor. Such technology is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,128,662 issued Jul. 7, 1992 entitled “Collapsibly Segmented Display Screen for Computers or the Like” and U.S. Pat. No. 5,768,096 issued Jun. 16, 1998 entitled “Portable Computer with Movable Display Panels Forming a Concatenated Display Screen in Response to Opening the Computer.” While various applications for this technology have been conceived, the previous inventions have not disclosed a method for expanding the display device beyond its initial size, or for any type of display geometries besides a rectangular display.
Traditional computer displays reveal only a fixed, finite portion of the total desktop, both visible and virtual. Current windows-type computer operating systems allow application windows and other objects to be placed on the virtual desktop outside the visible desktop area, where the application and other objects become clipped at the boundaries of the display area. Users have to reposition or resize some or all of the programs if part of one of the applications fall outside of the visible desktop area. For example, in FIG. 1 the user would have to move or resize program 3 so that the entire application window fits within the visible desktop area. This limitation forces the user to adapt to the constraints of the computer. The user will likely have to reorganize, minimize, or hide programs 1 and 2 in order to effectively work with program 3. Managing programs in this manner is very cumbersome. Therefore, a need exists for a display device that enables the user to reveal more of the virtual desktop (i.e. around program 3 at the lower right corner of the display in FIG. 1). Furthermore, a need exists for an apparatus and method that will allow the display device to be adaptable to a variety of different display size and configuration requirements. Finally, a need exists for an apparatus and method to increase the amount of real estate and/or screen configuration of an existing display device.